How Much Does an Atlantic Crossing Cost?
Planning an Atlantic crossing and want to get a handle on your budget? Here's how much it costs to sail across the Atlantic.
Héloïse Everytransatlantic5 min read
Contents
You may have dreamed of this scene many times: at daybreak, you gaze at the harbour from the deck of a sailboat. The cries of the gulls and the lapping of the water sound like a promise… A great sailing adventure awaits you. But wait a second! Before heading out to sea, one question needs answering: how much does it cost to sail across the Atlantic? Contrary to what you might think, there's no single price for every crossing. The cost of an Atlantic crossing depends above all on your role on board and the type of trip you choose. The good news? You can sail to the Caribbean for a very reasonable price!
🧭 The cost of an Atlantic crossing: it all depends on your role
If you've already done some research ahead of your crossing, you'll know there are several ways to sail across the Atlantic.
You can travel as a passenger on a cruise, as crew, or as a professional skipper (opens in a new tab).
These three ways of crossing come with different costs, matching your role on board:
- As a cruise passenger: the entire crossing is run by a professional skipper, and your only job is to enjoy the trip. For this type of crossing, expect to pay between €4,000 and €8,000, depending on the duration and the services included.
- As crew: you take an active part throughout the crossing, contributing your skills and/or your labour. You'll then be asked to chip in towards the boat's running costs. Including extras such as any flights and insurance, this kind of crossing costs between €500 and €2,500.
- As a professional: for a skipper or professional sailor, a crossing is expensive, between preparing and maintaining the boat, equipment, insurance and so on. In this case, expenses can run between €15,000 and €30,000.
⚓ Can you cross the Atlantic (almost) for free?
When is a crossing inexpensive?
An Atlantic crossing can be very cheap if the skipper is looking first and foremost for help on board rather than a financial contribution.
This is especially the case when the boat is already ready to sail, or when the crossing is part of a long professional project, such as a round-the-world voyage (opens in a new tab).
Skills and commitment: essential values on board
In offshore sailing, people come first! Being able to stand your watches, cook, handle repairs or help keep a good atmosphere on board are just as important as technical knowledge.
A crew member who already has some basic sailing skills and good interpersonal qualities (team spirit, communication) is genuinely valuable, and can therefore sign on at a lower cost.
[!TIP] Tips: Speaking of people, take a look at our advice on finding a crew!
A minimum contribution
Bear in mind: even if you join an Atlantic crossing as working crew, you should still budget for some expenses.
Even in the most favourable cases, certain costs are unavoidable, such as food and energy. So most of the time, a "free" crossing never means "zero euros", but rather a minimal budget.
💰 How much does an Atlantic crossing cost as crew?
Sharing costs on board
If you choose to make your crossing as crew, you normally don't pay for the crossing itself. The heavy costs associated with the boat (maintenance, insurance, equipment, etc.) are covered by the skipper.
On the other hand, a contribution to the costs of life on board is usually required. This is done through a shared kitty, which covers provisioning, energy (gas and electricity) and sometimes fuel.
The average budget varies from one crossing to another
When you sail as crew, a crossing can cost between €500 and €2,500.
That's quite a wide range, because the budget depends on several factors:
- The length of the crossing.
- The number of people on board.
- The type of boat.
- The contribution requested by the skipper.
On top of these expenses, you'll need to add other costs related to your trip: insurance, any flights to reach the departure port, personal gear, etc.
When is the contribution requested?
As a rule, the contribution to the boat's costs is agreed before weighing anchor, either in the listing or during a conversation with the skipper.
Depending on your skipper, you may be asked to pay a fixed fee, or to contribute more flexibly to a kitty. This contribution is normally paid before departure.
💡 How to cut the budget for an Atlantic crossing
Plan ahead and stay flexible
To be sure of finding an inexpensive crossing, the first thing is to start early enough and be flexible on dates. You'll have a wider choice of crossings on offer.
On that note, find out the best time to look for and make an Atlantic crossing!
Showcase your profile
Remember: an Atlantic crossing means several weeks in the confined space of a boat with the same people. So skippers are mainly looking for crew who are motivated, adaptable and able to work as a team!
The more you highlight these personal qualities in your online profile or when you approach a skipper, the better your chances of finding an affordable crossing.
Use crew-finding platforms
Crew-finding platforms are online services that connect professional skippers with crew. They give a clear picture of the budgets and contributions requested, and make it easy to find attractive crossings.
On EveryTransatlantic, for example, you'll find plenty of listings from skippers offering low-cost crossings in exchange for helping out on board.
Now you know how much it costs to cross the Atlantic. All that's left is to find the boat on which to live this wonderful adventure!
